The present invention relates to herpes virus, and more particularly, to medical treatments for herpes virus and other microbial infections.
Herpes simplex virus (HSV) commonly referred to as xe2x80x9cherpes virusxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cherpes,xe2x80x9d is an infectious disease which has reached crisis proportions nationally with estimated numbers of infected people at 70%-80% of our population as reported by the American Social Health Association (ASHA) and growing annually by 500,000 people or more. There are two common types of herpes: herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV 1) and herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV 2).
Herpes enters the human body through minuscule breaks in the epidermal tissue usually by contact with an infected host and is marked by eruption of one or more vesicles, usually in groups, following an incubation period of approximately four to ten days. Typically the course of the infectious outbreak initiates with the prodromal stage; advancing to vesicular eruption; followed by: ulceration; coalescing; resolution; and the latency period. The outbreak can last for several weeks and on average lasts two-three weeks. In some immune compromised individuals the outbreak can last for months. The vesicles can appear anywhere on the skin or mucosa, typically appearing on the lips as cold sores, glands, oral mucosa, conjunctiva and cornea, genitalia, anal mucosa and peri-anal tissue.
Herpes symptoms include: inguinal swelling, pain, fever, malaise, headaches, muscle aches, and swollen glands. Some individuals with trigeminal nerve affected oral herpes, have excruciating facial pain, difficulty swallowing, eating and facial swelling. Individuals with the sacral nerve effected have severe upper leg pain, swelling, and great difficulty walking.
Herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection is recrudescent, residing in the nerve ganglia, then recurring due to some, as yet unknown, stimulus. Recurrent herpetic infections can be precipitated by almost anything, including: overexposure to sunlight; nutritional deficiencies; stress, menstruation; immunosuppression; certain foods; drugs; febrile illness; etc. Recently herpes virus was isolated from cardiac tissue.
HSV 1 and HSV 2 infections pose very serious health threats often causing: blindness; increased cancer risk of the cervix; aseptic meningitis and encephalitis; neonatal deaths; viremia; etc. The devastating effects of this disease, go well beyond the medical scope of human suffering; HSV is responsible for serious psychological and emotional distress as well as substantial economic loss to the nation and the world.
Various treatments for herpes have been proposed and have included topical application of such agents as povodone-iodine, idoxuridine, trifluorothymidine, or acyclovir. Such treatments have met with varying degrees of success. Most prior treatments have proven disappointing. Acyclovir, taken orally for systemic treatment of HSV, is somewhat effective. However, acyclovir is only successful in interrupting the replication of the virus and is used to treat infectious outbreak systemically. Nothing to date has proven really effective topically. Strains resistant to acyclovir have been reported. Individuals with Auto Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) are seriously immune-compromised and suffer especially debilitating outbreaks of HSV. Additionally, AIDS individuals may carry acyclovir resistant strains of HSV, which can make acyclovir ineffective for these individuals.
It is, therefore, of utmost importance to develop a safe and successful medical treatment to overcome the very serious problems of herpes virus.
An improved medical treatment and medicine are provided which, when applied in the topical manner, rapidly relieves pain and heals lesions of herpes virus. Advantageously, the improved medical treatment and medicine are safe, inexpensive and effective. The improved medicine, also referred to as Viracea, comprises a novel medical composition, formulation, antimicrobial compound and solution. The new antimicrobial medical treatment and microbicidal medicine are successful in treating primarily herpes simplex virus (HSV 1 and HSV 2) topically and can be useful in treating other herpes related microbial infections including, but not limited to: varicella zoster virus (herpes zoster) and cytomegalovirus. In some circumstances, it may be useful to use the novel medicine systemically.
Advantageously, the improved medical treatment and medicine of the present invention yielded unexpected, surprisingly good results. Initial, topical, in vivo testing, demonstrated relief from pain in minutes and speedy total resolution of vesicular eruption in all individuals tested. When the inventive medical treatment and medicine are applied at the prodromal stage, the infection is interrupted and no further outbreak occurs. In vitro testing of the novel medical treatment and medicine demonstrated extremely surprising inhibitory effects on herpes virus. Desirably, the novel medicine is made from readily available, over the counter (OTC) chemicals or products and provides a safe comfortable, economical and user-friendly treatment.
While the novel medicine and antimicrobial compound is particularly useful in dramatically inhibiting herpes virus simplex, it may be useful in treating other microbial diseases (microbe-causing diseases)such as: human immunodeficiency virus infection (HIV), Epstein barr, papilloma virus, cellulitis, staphylococci, streptococci, mycobacteria, influenza, parainfluenza, adenoviruses, encephalitis, meningitis, arbovirus, arenavirus, anaerobic bacilli, picornavirus, coronavirus and synsytialvirus, as well as varicella zoster virus and cytomegalovirus.
This easy to use microbicide solution provides a moderately water resistant coating upon application to either the prodromal tissue or the erythematous vesicular herpes lesion. Upon contact, there is a slight tingling effect. Within minutes of application, the pain of the infection resolves. Gradually, inguinal swelling subsides, fever, malaise, body aches, and nerve involvement subsides. Typically, within twenty-one hours all external symptoms and physical manifestations of infection are resolved and the vesicle is dried and resolved. A particularly surprising, beneficial effect provided by this inventive medicine, is that when it is applied at the first sign of outbreak, the prodromal stage, all symptoms and signs of further infectious outbreak stops! No eruptions appear or any further escalation of symptoms of the infection. The outbreak literally stops!
Desirably, the novel medicine (medical composition) includes microbe inhibitors which inhibit, suppress and stop microbial infections from microbe-causing diseases. The microbe inhibitors comprise antimicrobial isolates, botanical extracts or phytochemicals, of at least a portion of one or more of the special plants listed below. The microbe inhibitors can comprise viral inhibitors to inhibit viral diseases, such as: herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV 1), herpes virus 2 (HSV 2), varicella zoster virus (herpes zoster) cytomegalovirus, HIV, epstein barr, papilloma virus, viral influenza, viral parainfluenza, adenovirus, viral encephalitis, viral menigitus, arbovirus, arenavirus, picornavirus, coronavirus, and synsytialvirus. The microbe inhibitors can also comprise bacterial inhibitors to inhibit bacterial diseases, such as: cellulitis, staphylococci, streptococci, mycobacteria, bacterial encephalitis, bacterial meningitis, and anaerobic bacilli. In some circumstances, the microbe inhibitors can include fungi inhibitors.
Better results are obtained if Echinacea or other plants are not used in the medicine in their raw, untreated and uncut state. For even better results, the medicine can exclude: Arabinose, betaine, cellulose, copper, fructose, fatty acids, galactose, glucose, iron, potassium, protein, resin, sucrose, sulfur, vitamin a, vitamin c, vitamin e and xylose.
The improved medical treatment provides a novel method and process for use in treating the above infectious diseases by applying the microbial inhibitors on the microbial infected area and maintaining the microbe inhibitors on the infected area (region or surface) until the external symptoms and physical manifestations of the infection disappear, reside or resolve about the infected area. The medicine can be applied by spraying, dabbing, dusting, swabbing, sponging, brushing, pouring, dispensing, covering, or heavily coating the medicine on the microbial infected areas, such as: oral mucosa, nasal mucosa, vaginal tissue, labial tissue, anal tissue, peri-anal tissue, lips, cutaneous tissue, sub-cutaneous tissue, ocular tissue, conjunctiva, and eyelids.
While the medical treatment and medicine is particularly useful for inhibiting herpes and other infectious diseases in persons (human beings) (homo sapiens), they can also be useful for veterinary purposes for treating viral and bacterial infections and infectious diseases in animals, such as: dogs, cats, birds, horses, cows, sheep, swine (pigs and hogs), and other farm animals, as well as rodents and other animals seen in zoos.
Preferably, the improved medicine, medical composition or microbial compound is a phytochemical concentrate which is combined and simultaneously or concurrently applied with a surfactant and a carrier, solvent or diluent to provide a microbicide medicinal solution.
To this end, the interesting microbicide solution comprises an antimicrobial detergent surfactant, with botanical extracts. The surfactants preferably are cationic surfactants which can comprise singly or any number of quaternary ammonium chlorides having 6-18 carbons such as alkylbenzyldimethylammonium chloride, mixtures of alkylbenzyldimethylammonium chloride, alkyldimethyl/ethylbenzylammonium chloride, n-alkyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride, diisobutylphenoxyethoxyethyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride, Nxe2x80x94(C12C14C16)dimethylbenzylammonium chloride, benzalkonium chloride, octyldecyldimethyloammonium chloride, didecyldimethylammonium chloride, dioctyldimethylammonium chloride, dialkyldimethylammonium chloride, dialkylmethylbenzylammonium chloride, octyldecyldimethylammonium chloride, dimethylbenzylammonium chloride, laurryldimethylbenzylammonium chloride, o-benzyl-p-chlorophenol, dideryldimethylammonium chloride, doctyldimethylammonium chloride, alkyl (C14C12C16) dimethylbenzylammonium chloride, and preferably comprises alkylbenzyldimethylammonium chloride most preferably benzalkonium chloride. The range of activity of the cationic surfactant can be 5% to 90% but for best results 8% to 20%. Quaternary ammonium salts are readily available commercially. In some circumstances it may be useful to use other surfactants, such as, but not limited to: DMSO, glycolic acid surfactants, enzyme surfactants, ampholytic surfactants, switterionic surfactants, and nonionic surfactants. The surfactants can comprise detergents, wetting agents, emulsifiers, defoamers, and/or surface tension reducing additives.
Carriers are useful for mixing the constituents, keeping the constituents in solution, and providing an easy method of application to the affected area whether by spray, dropper, or applicator. While an aqueous solution, preferably a sterile aqueous carrier and solvent is preferred for best results, in some circumstances it may be desirable to use other liquid or solid carriers, such as: glycerin, mineral oil, silica, cottonseed oil, coconut oil, vegetable oil, seed oil, fish oil, or animal oil, alcohol, talc, corn meal, beeswax, carnauba wax, beta carotene, garlic oil, camphor oil, soluble vitamins, soluble minerals, rape seed oil, nut oils, olive oil, liposomes, ascorbic acid, evening primrose oil, pycnogenol, grape seed oil, lanolin, Ethocyn, collagen, aloe vera, bee pollen, royal jelly, chondroitin sulfate A, sea vegetables, EDTA, fatty acids, herbs, lecithin, bioflavinoids, grain oils or powders, algae, teas, vinegars, acidophilus, cell salts, ascorbic acids, hydra 5, glandulars, amino acids, psyllium, plant derivatives, or other sterile carriers.
The botanical extracts antimicrobial isolates or phytochemicals contained in this new medicine and medical treatment can be comprised of: Arabinose, betaine, copper, echinacen, echinacin B, echinacoside, echinolone, enzymes, fructose, fatty acids, galactose, glucose, glucuronic acid, inulin, inuloid, iron, pentadecadiene, polyacetylene compounds, polysaccharides such as but not limited to arabinogalactan, potassium, protein, resin, rhamnose, sucrose, sulfur, tannins, vitamins a, c, and e, xylose. For better results, the phytochemical concentrates include the above phytochemicals, excluding Arabinose, bataine cellulose, copper, fructose, fatty acids, galactose, glicose, iron, potassium, protein, resin, sucrose, sulfer, xylose and vitamins a, c and e.
The botanical extracts, antimicrobial isolates and phytochemicals are separated, extracted and isolated from portions of plants, such as: pimpinella anisum, myroxylon, arctostaphylos, carum, capsicum, eugenia mytacea, coriandrum, inula, allium, gentiana, juniperus, calendula, origanum, mentha labiate, commiphora, plantago, rosmarinus, ruta, baptisa, artemisa, sage, mentha, parthenium integrifolium, eucalyptus, asteriacea, and preferably from the genus Echinacea of the family Asteriacea, namely, Echinacea purpurea, Echinacea angustofolium, Echinacea pallidae, Echinacea vegetalis, Echinacea atribactilus and their cultivars. For best results, the phytochemicals and antimicrobial isolates are extracts from Echinacea purpurea and Echinacea angustifolium. 
The inventive technology, treatment and medicine yield very attractive, unexpected, surprisingly good and consistent results. Tests show the microbicide solution (medicine) and medical treatment to be extremely useful to: heal and control herpes outbreaks, viral shedding, extend the latency periods of the disease, and dramatically inhibit the virus, while being generally safe to the patient and the environment.
A more detailed explanation of the invention is provided in the following description and appended claims.
A herpes virus microbicide and treatment are provided to ease pain, heal lesions, resolve infectious outbreaks rapidly and inhibit herpes simplex virus 1 and 2 (HSV 1 and HSV 2). Desirably, the herpes microbicide and treatment completely inhibits herpes virus, as well as other infectious microbial diseases, and are safe and non-toxic to humans, animals, and the environment.
The herpes microbicide and medicine can comprise a surfactant and an herbaceous botanical providing a botanical extract, phytochemical, antimicrobial isolate, viral isolate, microbe inhibitor, and viral inhibitor. The preferred microbicide composition can comprise: a surfactant; an aqueous diluent; and the herbaceous botanical of the genus Echinacea (E), of the family Asteracea, species: purpurea, angustifolia, pallidae, vegetalis, atribactilus and the cultivars. Preferably, the herbanaceous botanicals are extracts and isolates comprising Echinecea phytochemicals as found in and extracted from Echinacea purpurea, E. pallidae, and E. angustofolia. For best results, the medical treatment and microbicide (medicine) comprises: a cationic surfactant; the phytochemicals from E. purpurea, and E. angustofolia; and a sterile aqueous diluent.
The surfactant provides a certain debridement of epithelial cells with a broad spectrum of antimicrobial action. Surfactants of this nature can comprise quaternary ammonium salts containing 6-18 carbon atoms. Preferably the quaternary ammonium salt surfactant, is a mixture of alkyl dimethylbenzylammonium chlorides, which can be: benzalkonium halide, benzalkonium bromide, benzalthonium chloride and most preferably benzalkonium chloride. The herpes treatment comprises a 100% active aqueous solution but can also be used in concentrate. The solution can comprise by weight various concentrations of surfactants such as 0.005% to 0.8%, preferably 0.02% to 0.30% and most preferably 0.02% to 0.26%.
The phytochemicals in the botanical Echinacea have demonstrated impressive activity against bacteria, viruses, and some fungi. The exact mechanism is unknown. When tested topically in vivo on HSV 1 and 2, it is somewhat effective in treating herpes simplex infectious outbreaks. When tested in vitro, it showed some inhibitory activity against HSV 1 and 2.
The phytochemical concentrate composition comprises the following isolated constituents, botanical extracts, microbial inhibitors, and antimicrobial isolates: polysaccharides, echinacen, echinaceine, echinacoside (caffeic acid ester), echinolone, echinadiol, enzymes, glucuronic acid, inuloid, pentadecadiene, polyacetylene compounds, arabinogalactan, rhamnose, PS I (a 4-O-methylglucoronoarabinoxylan, Mr 35 kD) and PS II (an acid rhamnoarabinogalactan, Mr 450 kD), cynarin (1,5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid), acid (2,3-O-di-caffeoyltartaric acid) and derivatives, alkylamides, keto-alkynes and -alkenes; quinones; oils including: borneol, bornyl acetate; pentadeca-8(z)-en-2one, germacrene D, caryophyllene, caryophyllene epoxide, anthocyanins pyrrolizidine alkaloids lipophilic amides, isobutylamides, polyacetylenes.
For best results, the antimicrobial isolates of the phytochemical concentrate comprise by weight (based upon the total weight of the inventive medical composition): 0.3-9% echinacoside; 0.1-7% PS I (a 4-0-methylglucoronoarabinoxylan, Mr 35 kD) and Chicoric PS II (an acid rhamnoarabinogalactan, Mr 450 kD); 0.1-10% cynarin (1,5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid) and acid (2,3-O-di-caffeoyltartaric acid) and derivatives; 0.2-4% echinolone; 0.2-8% echinacin B; 0.1-6%; echinaceine; 0.2-7% anthocyanins comprising cyanidin 3-O-xcex2-D-glucopyranoside and 3-O-(6-O-malonyl-xcex2-D-glucopyranoside); 0.01-0.06% pyrrolizidine alkaloids comprising tussilagine and isotussilagine; 0.003-0.009% isomeric dodeca isobutylamides and 2E, 4E,8Z, 10E/Z-tetraenoic acid; and 0.01-2% caryopylenes.
The phytochemical concentrate can comprise by weight: 2-90% of the medical composition and solution and preferably comprises not less than 15% of the composition and solution; and for best results, comprises 40%-60% of the medical composition and solution.
The diluent dissolves the benzalkonium chloride (surfactant) and phytochemical concentrates and can act as a carrier in sprays, tubes, and dropper bottles. The preferable diluent is an aqueous diluent and most preferably is a sterile aqueous diluent. The ratio of water in the aqueous solution to benzalkonium chloride can range from 30,000:1 to 250:1 and preferably in topical application from 5000:1 to 750:1. The ratio of water to the combined concentrates of benzalkonium chloride and phytochemicals can comprise a range of 2:1 to 100:1 with a preferable range of 4:1 to 40:1, and for best results can comprise a ratio of 6:1 to 20:1.
For best results, the improved microbicidal treatment and medicine (microbicide) for herpes, comprises by weight: 0.02% to 0.3% benzalkonium chloride and to avoid toxicity preferably less than 0.2 to 40% to 60% Echinacea phytochemicals; and 20% to 60%, most preferably 29.74% to 59.8% sterile water.
While water is the preferred diluent and carrier, it may be desirable in some circumstances to use other carriers in order to propel the concentrate through a sprayer, or for greater solubility and efficacy. It may also be desirable in some circumstances to include a viscosity control agent. Furthermore, while it is estimated that the shelf life of the improved herpes medicine is two years, it may be necessary to add an appropriate preservative.
For preferred use, during any outbreak or physical manifestations of herpes and preferably at the first sign of the prodrome stage of tingling, itching, or irritation of herpes, the medical solution (medicine) should be applied topically on the infected area. The affected (infected) area should be as dry as possible depending on location of outbreak. The method of topical application of medicine can be by: spraying, dabbing, dropper, or any such method as to coat the entire affected area. The coating of the solution (medicine) should be maintained until all external symptoms completely resolve, reapplying as needed anytime the coating diminishes, for instance, after showering. Anionic soaps and anionic detergents, and especially protein content soaps can be contraindicated. Preferably, the infected area should be washed, cleaned and dried prior to application of the medicine.
A preferred surfactant is benzalkonium chloride. Benzalkonium chloride in aqueous solution is commercially available under the brand name and trade mark Zephiran(copyright) distributed by Sanofi Winthrop Pharmaceuticals (formerly Winthrop Labs). Benzalkonium chloride is a rapidly acting anti-infective surfactant with a moderately long duration of action. The surfactant is active against bacteria and some viruses, fungi and protozoa. Bacterial spores are considered to be resistant. Solutions of benzalkonium chloride are bacteriostatic or bacteriocidal according to concentration. The exact mechanism of bacterial action of benzalkonium chloride is unknown but is thought to be due to enzyme inactivation. Activity of benzalkonium chloride generally increases with increasing temperature and pH. Gram-positive bacteria are more susceptible to benzalkonium chloride than gram-negative bacteria.
Unfortunately, benzalkonium chloride is inactivated by soaps, anionic detergents, serum, and certain proteins. Benzalkonium chloride has fallen out of favor in many laboratories for the above reasons. When benzalkonium chloride was used alone and tested topically in vivo, it was ineffective for herpes simplex infectious outbreaks. When tested in vitro on HSV1 and 2 benzalkonium chloride demonstrated undesirable high levels of toxicity to the cells even at high dilutions, which is medically unacceptable. The chemical formula of one type of benzalkonium chloride is shown below. Other types of benzalkonium chloride can be used. 
While raw-untreated, unprocessed, non-isolated Echinacea is generally undesirable to treat herpes, it has been found that some, but not all, of the isolated constituents and botanical extracts of Echinacea (as previously described above) provide phytochemicals, antimicrobial isolates, botanical extracts and microbe inhibiters which are effective in treating herpes virus and other infectious diseases. As previously stated, the phytochemical concentrate composition comprises the following isolated constituents, botanical extracts, microbial inhibitors, and antimicrobial isolates: polysaccharides, echinacen, echinaceine, echinacoside (caffeic acid ester), echinolone, echinadiol, enzymes, glucuronic acid, inuloid, pentadecadiene, polyacetylene compounds, arabinogalactan, rhamnose, PS I (a 4-O-methylglucoronoarabinoxylan, Mr 35 kD) and PS II (an acid rhamnoarabinogalactan, Mr 450 kD), cynarin (1,5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid), acid (2,3-O-di-caffeoyltartaric acid) and derivatives, alkylamides, keto-alkynes and -alkenes; quinones; oils including: borneol, bornyl acetate; pentadeca-8(z)-en-2one, germacrene D, caryophyllene, caryophyllene epoxide, anthocyanins pyrrolizidine alkaloids lipophilic amides, isobutylamides, polyacetylenes. The chemical formula of some of the botanical extracts of Echinacea are shown below. 
When the Echinacea phytochemicals (antimicrobial isolates, botanical extracts and microbe inhibitors) were mixed, combined and applied with a surfactant, preferably benzalkonium chloride, and a sterile aqueous carrier, the results were unexpected and surprisingly good in resolving (treating) herpes virus and other infectious diseases and the effectiveness of the medicine (microbicide) dramatically increased. When the synergistic medicine was tested topically in vivo, the herpes simplex infections were immediately arrested. When the synergistic medicine was tested in vitro, the benzalkonium chloride surfactant was substantially less toxic and within a safe level and there was a higher level of inhibitory activity against HSV 1 and 2. The synergism interaction and mixing of the Echinacea phytochemicals and surfactant were demonstrated and observed by viewing the rapid solubility of the components when mixed and the slight adhesive quality created by the properties in solution. Furthermore, the chemical properties of the Echinacea phytochemicals, surfactant and aqueous carrier enhanced stabilization and increased reactivity which is useful in treating infectious diseases.
The medicine can be used in varying dilutions on: oral and nasal mucosa; vaginal tissue; labial tissue; anal and peri-anal tissue; penile tissue; cutaneous tissue; open subcutaneous tissue; and in higher dilutions on ocular infections. By varying the concentrations, the medicine may possibly be administered parenterally. The medicine may be contraindicated in vaginal or anal packs; in the ear canal; occlusive dressings; casts or ingestion and such use may produce irritation or chemical burns. It may not be advisable to use the medicine to treat anaerobic fungal infections, since some fungi may be resistant.